gave a relatively unknown New York artist named Andy Warhol his
first commercial gallery show: 32 small paintings of Campbell’s Soup
cans. Priced at $100 each, they sold poorly, and Hopps' partner
Irving Blum bought out the entire series for $1,000. (Blum sold the
paintings to the Museum of Modern Art in 1996 for $15 million.) Thus
Warhol, a quintessential New York Pop artist, actually launched his
career in the adventurous, wide-open milieu of Los Angeles.
Author Hunter Drohojowska-Philp deftly illuminates the
contributions of influential Los Angeles dealers such as Hopps,
Blum and Virginia Dwan, who believed passionately in the
artists they represented and provided the commercial venues
and contacts that enabled them to flourish. She also offers vivid
sketches of key players such as actor Dennis Hopper, a prescient
collector who, through his own photography, became a primary
chronicler of the era.
An array of notable characters make cameos throughout
the book: Jim Morrison, Frank Gehry, Stephen Stills, Vincent
Price, Thelonious Monk, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Nicholson and
Mason Williams, to name only a few. As entertaining as these
are, Drohojowska-Philp keeps her focus on the extraordinary Los
Angeles artists who now, half a century later, are firmly ensconced
in the art history pantheon they once thumbed their noses at n
Michael Wollaeger Rebels In Paradise: The Los Angeles Art Scene
and the 1960s, written by Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, Henry Holt &
Company, us.macmillan.com/rebelsinparadise
Premier Vacations
�
Travel specialists offering expertly crafted vacations
and travel arrangements to France.
• Designer Tours to Paris. Attend Maison Objet this
September, tour the flea markets, ateliers, and
then enjoy a 4 or 5 day holiday in the Loire,
exploring its Castles, gardens and vineyards
• Trade shows, individual or group travel—great
hotels, contract rates, and personalized service
Please call or email Patricia. 301 364 5050
june
+
july
